JPS6244764A - Counter for classification of kind of fed paper - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To count fed forms by kinds by providing a means which detects the kind of copying paper stored in a paper feed cassette and a means which sets the kind of feed paper previously at the time of manual paper feed, and counting up only when a specific kind of copying paper is used. CONSTITUTION:The copying paper is fed by using selectively an automatic paper feeding device 20 or manual paper feeding device 30 where the cassette 21 is set detachably. The fed copying paper is detected by a discharge sensor SF2 arranged nearby a discharge roller 16, and a total counter TV counts the total quantity of sheets of copying paper and a size counter SC measures the time when the discharge sensor SF2 detects the copying paper to discriminate the size of the copying paper, so that the quantity of copies of each size of counted. The size of the copying paper counted by the size counter SC is selected properly by the ON-OFF states of size specifying operation switches 41 and 42 of a size selection specifying device 40.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a counter that counts for each type of paper feed in an electronic copying machine.

[Prior Art and its Problems] Generally, a device for feeding paper such as cut sheets used in a copying machine is equipped with a mechanism for detecting and identifying the paper size for jam detection and sequence control. The most typical example is a paper feeding mechanism that uses a storage cassette, in which the paper feeding cassette is provided with a protrusion or magnet for size identification, and when this cassette is loaded into the copying machine, the protrusion The size of the paper, etc. was identified by detecting it with a switch or the like installed on the main body of the copying machine. In this way, so-called size counters that can count the number of sheets used for each size have been used to carefully perform fee calculations, maintenance, and the like.

However, in recent years, colored paper such as red and blue has become available as recording paper for copying machines, and some users are using paper with individual company names and logos printed on it for special purposes. In such cases, it would be convenient if the number of sheets of color paper and special paper used could be counted separately, but there are many types of these special papers, and each user has different requirements. Providing a paper feed cassette for each type of special paper would increase the number of cassette types more than necessary, which would be wasteful.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made to eliminate the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a paper feed type counter that can count each type of paper feed.

[Structure of the Invention] A paper feed type counter of the present invention is used in a copying machine, and includes a paper feed cassette provided with means for setting the type of stored paper feed, and a A detection means for detecting the set paper feed type, a type setting means for setting in advance the paper feed type to be used in the case of manual paper feed, and a counter for counting up the number of copied sheets at a predetermined timing. The present invention is characterized in that when the paper feed detected by the detection means or the paper feed set by the setting means is a desired paper feed type, a counter is counted up. .

[Example] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 schematically shows an electrophotographic copying machine 1 to which the present invention is applied, and first, its configuration and operation will be briefly described.

A photosensitive drum 2 is located approximately in the center of the main body of the electrophotographic copying machine 1.
is rotatably supported, and around it, a charging charger 3, a developing device 4, a transfer charger 5, a separation charger 6, a cleaner 7, and a static elimination device 8 are arranged in order. The upper original (not shown) is a reflector m' + mt + 'm illuminated by a lamp lO
The toner image is projected onto the photoreceptor drum 2 through an optical system consisting of 3 + m 4, a lens It, etc., and a toner image is formed on the photoreceptor drum 2 as the document table 9 moves and the photoreceptor drum 2 rotates. Ru.

On the other hand, copy paper is fed by selectively using an automatic paper feeder 20 in which a cassette 21 is removably set or a manual paper feeder 30 having a manual feed tray 3I. The paper is fed into the machine by the paper feed roller 22 driven in synchronization with the image forming operation or the manual paper feed roller 32 driven by the operation of the manual feed detection sensor SE1, and is fed into the machine by the intermediate roller 17 and the timing roller pair 18.
It is temporarily stopped at , and is sent to the transfer section in synchronization with the image forming operation by a signal output as the optical system moves. At this transfer section, the toner image is transferred by the transfer charger 5, separated from the photoreceptor drum 2 by the separation charger 6, fixed by the fixing heat roller pair 1'4.15, and then transferred by the discharge roller 16. It is ejected onto the tray and copying is completed.

The operation mode of the copying machine l is determined as automatic paper feeding or manual paper feeding when the manual feeding detection sensor SEI detects the inserted copy paper in the state where paper feeding is possible. is set and the copying operation is started. On the other hand, when the copying operation is started by pressing the copy start button, a copying mode using automatic paper feeding is set. If the manual feed tray 31 is of the type that also serves as a door for opening and closing the manual feed slot, the opening/closing of the manual feed tray 31 is detected by a microswitch, etc., and when the microswitch is open, it is determined that the manual feed mode is active. You may judge.

The conveyed copy paper is detected by an ejection sensor SE2 disposed close to the ejection roller 16, and the total number of copies is counted by a treckle counter TC, and the time period during which the ejection sensor SE2 detects the copy paper is is measured by a size counter SC, the size of the copy paper is identified, and the number of copies is counted for each size. The size of the copy paper counted by the size counter SC is appropriately selected by a combination of ON and OFF of the size designation operation switches 41 and 42 of the size selection designation device 40, as will be described later. Furthermore, the copier l is equipped with a color designation switch 4 so that copy paper can be counted by color.
3.44 is provided, and in the manual paper feeding mode, by setting the paper color set switch 45.46 provided in the copy feed l, on the other hand, in the cassette paper feeding mode, the paper color set switch 45, 46 provided in the cassette 21 can be set. Magnet M
is set by a predetermined method, this is detected by the cassette color detection switch 50.51 provided in the copying machine l, and the color selection switch 43.
44 and are counted by color.

FIG. 2 shows the cassette 21 in FIG. 1 and the loading section of the automatic paper feeder 20 in which the cassette 21 is loaded. A holding member 21b is fixed to the side surface 21a of the cassette 21 on the side that mates with the copying machine l in the loading direction, and a movable member 21c is slidably provided within the holding member 21b. As shown in FIG. 3, the movable member 21c has a color display section colored in the order of red, white, yellow, and blue, for example, on one end side, and a magnet M on the other end side. It's profitable. The fixed member 21b is provided with a color confirmation window 21e through which one of the color display sections 21d can be confirmed when the movable member 21c is inserted. A cassette color detection switch 50, 51, which is a reed switch, is provided on the main body side of the copying machine 1 so as to face the magnet M when the cassette 21 is loaded into the automatic paper feeder 20. This cassette color detection switch 50.51 is turned on when facing the magnet M, for example, and outputs "0'".
By turning on and off the two cassette color detection switches 50 and 51, 22=4 colors can be distinguished, white (00), white (00),
They are coded as red (01), yellow (10), and blue (11), and are processed by the control means described later.

FIG. 4 shows the main parts of the control circuit used in the above-mentioned copying machine 1, and includes a CPU (central processing unit) 100.
and related to various switches, displays, outputs, etc. 101
Numeral keys from .theta. to 9 are provided on an operation panel (not shown), and when a numerical value designating the number of consecutive copies is input using the numerical keys, the numerical value is displayed on the display device 120. PSW is a print switch that starts the copying operation. These number keys 101-1
10. Print switch PSW and sensor SEI, S
E2. The size designating switches 41, 42, etc. are connected to the manual port section of C and PUloo via the decoder 130, and a signal is inputted at a predetermined timing. Also, C.P.
The output boat section of U l 00 has various loads of copying machine l,
That is, the main motor.

Developing motor (not shown), timing roller pair! 8゜ Each clutch of the paper feed roller 221, manual paper feed roller 32, charger 3.5 for charging and transfer, and size counter SC,
A drive circuit (not shown) such as a talk counter TC is connected, and a predetermined signal for controlling each device is output from each boat.

The operation of the control circuit configured as described above will be explained with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIG. 5 and subsequent figures.

FIG. 5 shows the main routine. When the copying machine 1 is powered on, initial settings are first made in step 5100. That is, the display unit 120 for the number of continuous copies is changed to “
The variable/changeable operation items for the copying machine 1, such as setting the copying machine to An internal timer is set to keep it constant regardless of the processing content.Step 6300 is a routine in which processing related to copying operations is performed, and step 8400 is an ejection routine that detects copy paper ejected with copying operations. This is a routine for processing the signal of sensor SE2, and other processing is performed in step 5500.

Next, each routine in steps 5300 and 5400 will be explained in detail.

FIG. 6 shows a processing routine for copying operations.

In step 5301, the manual feed detection sensor SEI detects that the manual feed tray 31 is inserted, and then in step 5
When it is determined in step 302 that the print switch PSW is on, in step 5303, the main motor, the developing motor (not shown), the charging charger 3. The transfer charger 5 is operated, the copy flag indicating that the copying operation is in progress is set to "B", and the control timers TA and TB are started. Step 5304
In step 5305 or step 5306, the clutch of the selected paper feed row 232 or 22 is turned on. If it is determined in step 5307 that the operation of the timer TA has ended, in step 5308 the clutch of the paper feed roller 22 or 32 is turned off to stop it. If it is determined at step 5309 that the operation of timer T-8 has ended, then at step 5310 the scan motor (not shown) for scanning the optical system is operated. When the timing signal is output during the scanning operation in step 5411, the clutch of the timing roller 18 is turned on and the timer TC is started in step 5312. The copy paper is moved to this timing low by driving the timing roller 18). If it is determined at 313 that the operation of the timer TC has ended, the charging charger 3. The scan motor is stopped and the clutch of the timing roller 18 is turned off. Incidentally, the timer T-C should be set variably depending on the size of the copy paper used.

In step 5315, a signal to return the optical system is output, and in step 8316, it returns to the normal position and the normal position switch is turned on. In step 5317, the developing motor and transfer charger 5 are turned off, and the copy flag is set to "0". ” and start timer T-D. When it is determined in step 5318 that the operation of timer TD has ended, the main motor is stopped in step 5319.

In step 5320, processing for various display outputs is performed. Note that the timer T-A-T-D etc. mentioned above is
This is a digital timer programmed to count up by "l" in the l routine that is processed within the time specified by the internal timer of 00, and the time-up time is stored as numerical data.

FIG. 7 shows a processing routine by the discharge sensor SE2.

When copy paper is detected by the ejection sensor SE2 in step 5401, it is determined in steps 5401 to 5402 whether the sensor SE2 has turned on, and in step 540
3 and 404, the flag A is set to "vi" and the measurement counter 100a in the CPU 100, which is used for determining the size of copy paper, is cleared. Then, in step 5
When the discharge sensor SE2 is turned on in 405,
The count value of the measurement counter 100a is incremented every time the l routine process is performed. Measurement counter 10
0a is set in a predetermined area of the RAM in the CPU 100, similar to the above-mentioned timers T-A to T-D, and C
This is a counter that is incremented by one bit each time the PU 100 executes one routine, and the count value is determined by appropriate processing in steps 8406 to 9416 that are executed when the sensor SE2 is turned off. It is converted into a size code and shifted to the accumulator 100b.This counter lO'oa may count the reference clock of cPUloo or an external clock.

On the other hand, when the copy paper has finished passing through the sensor SE2 section, the fall of the sensor SE2 occurs in steps 5401 and 5401.
It is determined in step 406, and flag A is set in step 5407.
is set to "0", and it is determined in step 5408 whether or not it is manual copying, and if it is manual copying, steps 5409 to 54 are performed.
At step 12, the count value of the measurement counter or the length data calculated from the count value is compared with a reference length stored in advance in a ROM (read-on memory), etc., and a predetermined size corresponding to the comparison result is determined. The coat is shifted and stored into accumulator toob in steps 9414-8416. If it is determined in step 8408 that paper is automatically fed from the cassette, step 541
At step 3, the code attached to the cassette 21 is read and shifted to the accumulator +00b.

Table 1 shows an example of the relationship between paper feed size and code.

table ! .

The above table uses 4 bits as a code and is mainly a cassette code, and size determination according to the output of sensor SE2 in the case of manual copying is also coded according to this code table. Add a size code to the cassette,
Many specific mechanisms for reading this information and using it as a control signal for a copying machine have already been proposed or provided, and will not be described in detail here. Furthermore, although the cassette code allows copy sheets of the same size to be processed separately in both vertical and horizontal directions, this is not possible with the flowchart shown in FIG. However, if it is possible to obtain size length information by measuring the length of the copy paper being conveyed as described above, it is possible to measure the length of the copy paper conveyed as described above, and in the width direction, e.g.
Another sensor is installed at a predetermined distance from 2.
By combining the on and off states of the sensors, it is possible to distinguish vertically and horizontally for almost any size, and this discrimination can easily be added to the process shown in FIG. 7. In addition to this, the position of a guide plate for regulating the insertion position in the manual insertion slot for copy paper may be detected, thereby obtaining size information in the width direction. “Domestic” and “America” in Table 1
, "Europe," etc., is set by switching appropriate switch means.

In this flowchart, when the copy paper is fed manually and the copying operation is executed, the sensor SE2 is activated.
The size of the copy paper is determined according to the output of the cassette 21.
An example will be shown in which when paper is fed from the cassette 21, a code (not shown) attached to the cassette 21 is read by the code sensor SE3 to control the operation of the size counter SC. However, if the process of determining manual paper feeding and automatic paper feeding in step 8408 is not performed, the size counter SC can also be controlled by determining the copy paper size by the sensor SE2 in all copying operations.

After the size is determined in this way, the process of controlling the operation of the size counter SC is executed in step 5417 in FIG. Details of this size counter processing are shown in FIG.

In FIG. 8, steps 5420, 5430° 544
0, the switch 4 is set according to the individual size.
1.42 status is determined, then step 5421
．． 5431-5432, 5441-5443, 5444
At step 5450, it is determined whether the size code of each corresponding copy sheet is stored. If the size code is stored, that is, when the corresponding copy sheet is used, the process advances to step 5450, a color processing routine.

The switches 41 and 42 are provided at appropriate locations within the main body of the copying machine 1 so that they can be operated by, for example, a service person. The state of the two switches 41 and 42 is “0”;
For example, the combinations shown in Table 2 below are possible depending on the combination of B.

Table 2 Table 2 shows that, for example, when the switches 41.42 are "0", "0", only A3 size is counted by the size counter SC for domestic destinations.

1 FIG. 9 shows a flowchart of the color processing routine.

In step 5451, it is determined whether the mode is manual paper feeding mode or cassette paper feeding mode, and if it is manual paper feeding mode, step 5
Paper color set switch 45.4 at 452
Combination of 6 and size/color specification switch 43.
It is determined whether the combinations of 44 and 44 are equal, and if they are equal, the size counter SC increments its count value in step 5453. On the other hand, if it is the cassette paper feeding mode, it is determined in step 5454 whether the combination of the cassette color detection switches 50, 51 and the color designation switches 43, 44 are equal;
If they are equal, they are similarly counted up in step 8453.

When actually copying with the above-mentioned copying machine, for example, if the copy paper size is A3 and the color is blue, the size specification switches 41 and 42 are set to A3 mode, and the color specification switches 41 and 42 are set to A3 mode. Switches 43 and 44 are set in a preset combination corresponding to the magnet M.

In addition, in the manual feed mode, the size is automatically detected, so there is no need to set the size, and for color identification, it is set in advance using the color designation switches 43 and 44.

By operating in this way, the copy sheets are counted by size and by color by specifying with the color specifying switches 43 and 44.

Although this embodiment has been described using color paper as the paper type, the present invention is not limited to this, and the paper type may be different paper types, paper with ruled lines, or the like. Note that when the type is limited to color paper, a color sensor may be used for color identification to automatically identify the paper.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the present invention includes a means for detecting the type of copy paper stored in a paper feed cassette and a means for setting the paper feed type in advance when manually feeding paper. Since the count is made only when the copy paper is used, it is possible to count up the copies made by color, for example, and the charge calculation becomes easy.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a copying machine to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the paper feed cassette in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the moving member in FIG. 2. , FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a main part of the control circuit of the copying machine shown in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 5 to 9 are flowcharts showing the operation of the copying machine shown in FIG. 1. 1... Copying machine, 2... Photosensitive drum, 3... Charger for charging, 4... Developing device, 5... Charger for transfer, 6... Charger for separation, 7... Cleaner, ... Static neutralization device, 9... Original table, lO...
・Lamp, 11... Lens, 14.15... Fixing roller pair, 16... Ejection roller, 17... Intermediate roller, 18... Timing roller pair, 20... Automatic paper feeder , 21... Cassette, 21a... Side, 21
b... Holding member, 21c... Moving member, 21d...
- Color display section, 21e... Color confirmation window, 22... Paper feed roller, 30... Manual paper feed device, 31... Manual feed tray, 32... Manual paper feed roller, 40... Size selection designation device, 41.42... Size designation operation switch, 43.44... Color designation switch, 45.4
6...Vapor color set switch, 50.51.
・・Cassette color detection switch S' l + m
M + m 3 + ' 4...Reflector, SEI...
Manual feed detection sensor, SF3...Ejection sensor, TC
...total counter, SC...size counter,
M...Magnet, PSW...Printed switch,
100...CPU1 lot to 110...Numeric keys, 120...Display device, 130...Decoder.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a copying machine, a paper feed cassette is provided with a means for setting the type of fed paper stored therein, and a detection means for detecting the set paper feed type when the paper feed cassette is installed in the copying machine. and a type setting means for setting in advance the type of paper feed to be used in the case of manual paper feeding, and a counter for counting up the number of copied sheets at a predetermined timing, A paper feed type counter that is incremented by a counter when the paper feed set by the setting means is a desired paper feed type.